Identification-ring.



M. E. N. CUMMINS.

IDENTIFICATION RING.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 29.1915.

Patented May 9,1916.

/Nvf/Yo /700/ /y/d (0mm/n.5 5) #if 14770/90206 W/TNSES 6MM UNTTED sTATEs PATENT orrron.

i MARY E. NOLAN CUMllIINS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

IDENTIFICATION-RING.

Application filed July 29, 1915.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARY E. N oLAN CUM- MiNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Identification-Rings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an identification ring by means of Which the identity ofthe wearer, in case of accident not lresulting in death, and the identification of the body in case of death caused by accident vor otherwise, may be determined with great certainty.

Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention is illustrated as applied to a finger ring, the said ring being of hollow or tubular form.

In the said drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a view showing the body of the ring in vertical section; Fig. 2 is a view partly in plan, with some parts sectioned on the line .s2-m2 on Fig. l; Fig.

' 8 is a perspective view showing the identification strip and spindle on whch it is adapted to be wound; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section showing the wound identification strip placed within the containing cartridge.

The body of the ring 1, as stated, is of tubular form. In the particular construction illustrated, the ends of the ring are not rigidly connected but are overlapped; but it will, of course, be understood that the ring may take various forms. In fact, the form of ring illustrated is adapted for use as a bracelet. The overlapped ends of the ring are shown as of larger cross section than the intermediate portion of the ring, and one end is provided with a removable cap 2 shown as having screw-threaded engagement therewith. The other end 3 is shown as much like the detachable end 2, but is formed integral therewith.

The name and address of the person is written, stamped, or otherwise marked on an identification strip 4. This identincation Strip may be of various different materials,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Serial No. 42,539.

but, preferably, would be of some such Inaterial as asbestos paper, which, while flexible and capable of being rolled, would not be disintegrated even under very high temperatures. Preferably, this identification strip will be rolled upon a small spindle 5 having a slot throughwhich the tapered end of the said identification strip is passed before winding. The identification device is then placed within the cartridge or containing shell 6, having at one end a detachable head shown as afforded by a plug 7 having screw -threaded engagement with the body of the said cartridge. The hollow interior of the ring affords a chamber into which this cartridge, with its identification device, is adapted to be inserted, when the cap 2 is removed. The cartridge or protecting casing for the identification device, when closed, should be air tight, and it is preferably made of a metal or other suitable material that has a higher fusibility or melting point than the material used in the body of the ring itself. If the ring is made of gold or silver, then, advisably, the cartridge will be made of platinum. and, at its reduced end, the saidcartridge is preferably provided with a projecting wire 8 that may also be of platinum. This wire 8 will be projected around through the hollow interior of the ring. The ring shown, at its ends 2 and 3, is provided with settings 9, which features, however, constitute no part of the present invention.

As is evident, the identification ring described affords a most efficient kind of means for identifying a person in case of accident. In case of fire, even if the body should be in part consumed, and even if the body of the ring should be fused, the cartridge and its ring-like wire extension 8, when made of platinum, or other suitable material of very high fusibility. will remain and would protect the identification device so that there would still be positive means for identifying the remains.

The highly important reasons for identification of persons in cases of accident and death are, of course, very well known. In accidents not resulting in death, but where the accident has rendered the victim mentally incapable of giving his own identity and address, and in case of accident resulting in death, regardless of whether or not the body has been mutilated beyond possibility of visual identification, this identifi- KID cation ring Will perform the function for which it is intended, to-Wit, the identifica-V tion of the persony orbody'. yItalso' gives that certain identity which permits ready adjustment of insurance claims. 'When desired, the ring Will be marked at suitable places on its exterior, with characters or letters indicating that the identification device is contained within the body of the ring.

What I claim is:

l- A ring having an air tight chamber, and an identication devicey contained Within said chamber.

2. A ring having a chamber provided with a head normally closing the same tightly, an air tight cartridge adapted to be contained Within said chamber, and an identification device contained Within said cartridge. f

3. A ring having a chamber provided with a head normally closing the same tightly, an air tight cartridge adapted to be contained Within said chamber, and an identification device contained' Within said cartridge, the said cartridge being of a material having a higher fusibility than the body of said ring.

et. The combination with a tubular ring having a removable cap at one end, of a cartridge insertible into the cap-equipped end of said ring, and an identification ydevice contained Wit-hin said cartridge, the said cartridge being air tight and having means for affording access to the interior thereof.

5. 'Ihe combination with a tubular ring having a removable cap at one end, of an air tight cartridge insertible into the capequipped end of vsaid` ring and provided at one end v'vitlry a Wireelike'projection extended Within the chamber of said tubular ring,

the Said cartridge, at its other end, having a detachable cap normally closingthe same tightly, and an identification device contained Within said cartridge.

6. The combination With a tubular ring having a removable cap at one end, of an air tight cartridge insertible into the capequipped end of said ring and provided at one end with a Wire-like projection extended Within the chamber of said tubularv ring, the said cartridge, at its other end, having a detachable cap normally closing the Same tightly, and an identification device contained Within said cartridge, the said cartridge and its extension being of a material having a higher fusibility than the body of said ring.

7. The combination With a ring having a chamber and a detachable cap normally closing the same, of a cartridge adapted to be inserted Within the chamber of said ring, and itself having a detachable cap affording access to the interior thereof, and an iden-tr ication device adapted to bek inserted into said cartridge and comprising a spindle and a flexible identification strip. y

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARY NoLAN CUMMINS.l

NVitnesses CLARA DEMAREST, B. G. WHEELER.

Copies of this patent may be .obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtony D. C. 

